Almost half of U.S. mortgage borrowers worry about being able to make the payments and keep their homes, according to a survey released Thursday.

The American Bar Association, a lawyers group, said its poll also found that 73 percent of those surveyed said they had changed their purchasing habits because of the economy.

Changes included buying less, paying for more purchases in full, using credit cards less, and trying to pay down credit card balances, the survey said.

The survey of more than 2,000 Americans was conducted for the ABA in mid-April by Harris Interactive, a polling group. (Reuters)